Tabor Baptist Church

Introduction

• Focusing on first 6 verses
• This Bible gives word pictures that provide tremendous insight on how to preach the gospel
  • Fishers of men
  • Sowers of the seed
  • Ambassadors for Christ
• Paul uses a different picture
  • 2 Cor 2:14
  • We are the fragrance of Christ
• The gospel is not in vain, since it is all of the above
• 2 Corinthians is not an easy letter
  • It shows insights into the Apostle Paul
    • He bears his heart in a way he doesn't in any other letter
  • He had an intense relationship with the Corinthian Church
  • Paul had to defend himself
    • He was accused of being fickle
    • He had a persistent group of critics
• Subject: 'Living Letters of Christ'
  • This is painful for Paul - he has to defend himself
    • He is not peddling the word of God but of sincerity - 2 Cor 2:17
  • They accuse him of having no letter of commendation
    • Does he need one? - 2 Cor 11:22-23
    • He is an sower of the seed, and ambassador for Christ, the fragrance of Christ
  • Personal example
  • Paul has to remind the Corinthians they are living letters of Christ
• Looking at 6 things:

Suspicion Countered

• It is unhelpful to have suspicion in church fellowship
  • The Corinthians had an untrusting attitude towards Paul
  • 3:1
• Paul had a long and distinguished ministry among the Corinthians
  • Many were converts
  • Yet they wanted a letter of commendation
  • 1 Cor 13:6-7
  • We are to judge with a warm spiritual attitude
    • Matt 7:1-3
    • Example of brother
• Suspicion needs to be countered
  • The Corinthians are Paul's letter of commendation

Superficiality Condemned

• To have letters before the accept Paul
  • Letters of commendation are not bad in and of themselves
    • Rom 16:1-2
  • The Corinthians are the letters of commendation
  • We are to judge spiritually
    • John 7:24
    • Example from Church

Credentials Authenticated

• The Corinthians are the letters of commendation / credentials
  • Example of believer
  • We are letters of the living God
• Paul was their spiritual father
  • Example
  • They know Paul well enough because he was there from the beginning
  • The Corinthians are Paul's testimonial
  • They owed Paul a debt
• True ministry is seen in changed hearts and true spirituality

Testimony Established

• v3-4
• Paul's credentials are seen in the people whose lives were touched by his ministry
  • Not written in ink by the Holy Spirit
    • Paul has worked by the Spirit of the Living God
  • The people have been changed
  • To see my ministry - look in the mirror!
• It is a sad situation when one Christian refuses to accept another Christian
  • Personal example
  • Are we thankful for the ministry of others?

Ability Acknowledged

• Paul is not puffed up - his trust is in God
  • What happened in Corinth - was a movement of God
  • Paul was an instrument but God was the true cause
• He had no ability in himself - the gifts and graces were from God
  • v6 - his sufficiency was from God
  • True of every Christian - our sufficiency is from God
  • Phil 4:13
• We have to be careful about self coming to the fore
  • Personal example
  • We are insufficient in ourselves
  • It is encouraging that our sufficiency is from God

Contrasts Drawn

• The Spirit has made us sufficient (v6)
  • The law kills
  • The gospel brings life in Christ
• They are to show this life and express the joy of being letters from Christ
  • So are we